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Press Brakes are currently a hot topic in the “Machine Safeguarding” arena. OSHA regulations consider press brakes to be a 1910.212 machine, saying to the employer; “one or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point…

Point-of-operation barrier guards are essential safeguarding equipment for hazardous industrial processes and machinery such as presses, pumps, motors and drills. When properly installed the barriers prevent a person from placing any part of their body into the point of operation by reaching through, over, under or around the guards to access a hazard. However, because…

Lathes are often overlooked when Risk Assessments are conducted to determine appropriate “Machine Safeguarding.” OSHA regulations consider lathes to be a 1910.212 machine, saying to the employer, “One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by…

Mechanical power presses (a.k.a. punch presses, stamping presses, flywheel presses), have existed in the U.S. since 1857. They were originally designed as either full-revolution, or part- revolution, both of which still exist, although the latter currently represents an estimated 90 percent of the roughly 300,000 mechanical power presses being used in the United States today….

In the United States, workers operating or maintaining industrial machinery suffer more than 18,000 amputations, crushed fingers and other traumatic injuries each year. While these injuries vary greatly, the majority of cases do have one thing in common: the injury was largely preventable if machine safeguarding equipment had been in-place, or would have been far…

Safeguarding Standards for Bench and Pedestal Grinders Grinders are one of the most frequently cited machines during OSHA machine-safety inspections. This is frequently due to improperly adjusted work-rests and tongue-guards on bench/pedestal grinders, as well as a lack of ring-testing for the grinding wheels. OSHA 29 CFR SubPart O 1910.215 is a “machine specific” (vertical)…

The terms guard and shield are often used interchangeably when referring to safeguarding cutting and turning machines. However, there is a significant difference between the two words. Guards OSHA 29 CFR 1910.217 defines a guard as an enclosure that prevents anyone from reaching over, under, around, or through the guard even if they really tried….

OSHA’s Code of Federal Regulations 1910.212 General Requirements For All Machines states that “Point of operation is the area of a machine where work is actually performed upon the material being processed. The point of operation of machines whose operation exposes an employee to injury, shall be guarded.” There are five basic requirements to consider…

OSHA’s Code of Federal Regulations 1910.212 General Requirements For All Machines specifies that one or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks. Choices for…